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Senkusha Wakaba
| birthday = October 3 | age = 23 | gender = | height = 5'9" (176 cm) | weight = 120 lbs. (54 kg) | classification = D-Rank | affiliation = | previous affiliation = | occupation = Chūnin Exam Proctor Gate Guard | partner = Arata Kohaku | marital status = Single | relatives = (Mother) (Father) | education = | status = Alive | rank = Chūnin | academy grad. age = 13 | chūnin prom. age = 17 | kekkei genkai = | nature type = Lightning Release Earth Release | jutsu = }} Soutenchirō Giri Wakaba No Kenta (若葉蒼義理天血郎太, Wakaba no Kenta Giri Soutenchirō) is a -level from . He is the eldest child of and . A man of many talents, Soutenchirō plays an instrumental role in many foundations throughout Konoha; his services as the gate guardian comprising one of these well respected services. In the past, he has also served as the chūnin exams proctor on more than one occasion. History Appearance Soutenchirō's appearance is reminiscent of a man in his middle ages. He possesses dark black hair, which is usually styled in a manner in which the front portion is spiked up, with the back half blatantly combed down as smooth as butter. Like most shinobi, a black bandanna housing his forehead protector is wrapped tightly around his forehead, expressing his allegiance to the village hidden in the mist. He has large building eyes with golden colored pupils. There are two noticeably red markings emitting downward from the side of his eyes. His personality is further emphasized by his generally lazy expression, aloof manner, relaxed voice, and minimalist attitude. In serious situations, however, he is shown to have a very stern and intense look. He wears a dark black jumpsuit beneath his patent Konohagakure flack jacket, of which extends all the way up to his ears, covering his face up until his chin. Personality Shinobi are those select warriors characterized by their utmost righteousness; it is through the justifications of their actions that truly defines them as individuals. They are anticipated to be of utmost delicacy in the matter of morales; all Shinobi are to follow a specific code and abide to it willingly, devoting the entirety of their lifestyle to the tradition without so much as a hint of hesitation. Soutenchirō, however, is of a peculiar exception. While he has since devoted the principles of his existence to the fine arts of chivalry, it is beyond him to emit the same fair behavior on a daily basis. Instead, he has been instigated, on more than one occasion, to bear himself primitively in the essence of nature. For example, while it is greatly forbidden in the laws of the warrior to partake in the devilish festivities of alcoholic beverages and pneumatic women, Soutenchirō has displayed an absurd weakness to the aforementioned criteria to the extent where it has been elaborated upon as a severe situation, and even more so, a direct obsession. Before mass circulations of nourishment, he again appears to lose his knighted charm; the method of which he utilizes to consume vast quantities of food is so horrific, that many plague whether or not the man has ever been fond of any form of table manners. From chewing with his mouth open to producing obnoxious noises through his mouth while sipping tea, it is in best estimates that the man has a weakness for food on par with the rivalry renewed between a sorrowful toddler and his pacifier. Oddly enough, it seems as though eating a well assorted meal works to replenish Soutenchirō’s reserves eminently, both in the case of drowsiness in persona and otherwise the more legitimate physical conditions of his figure. He has recovered from complete exhaustion simply through the consumption of dinner in the past, a feat deemed miraculous by some of the world’s most revered medics. Divalent to his honor as a Shinobi, a bottle of liquor is always within reach for Soutenchirō, normally kept hidden within his silk kimono. The gallantry of all men is established accordingly upon birth. This of course, varies from entity to entity, with key experiences throughout a respective career encasing the better part of a man’s benevolence. While some are introduced as naturalistically produced cowards, others are blessed with a privileged sense of awareness, which, above all else, bestows upon them, quite literally, an immunity to fear. Soutenchirō —while a far cry from perfection— can more thoroughly be foreseen as a Shinobi of the highest caliber based of his courage alone. It is this very element that repents his previous wrongdoings in a heroic fashion. Almost as though he is overtaken, possessed even, by the greater good, in the awe of a climatic event, Soutenchirō will rise. He will ascend above the boundaries correlated among the finest specimens of the world; in the wake of a disaster, that is when Soutenchirō is at his very best. Most especially in the heat of battle, Soutenchirō’s elaborate will is a subject of mass exposure. He distinguishes himself from the rest of the pack through his spirit, something that inspires the rest of his nakama. It is for this very reason that others are known to depend on him. He is one who shall never back down when faced with a crisis, in fact, he is only known to increase in amount of power —growing stronger as the level of competition rises. This element is orchestrated through his respect for his nakama, himself, and even his enemies. It is considerate of Soutenchirō, that to honor the existence of others, he must never succumb to the consternation of the heart, even if it be in the moment of his final breath. Soutenchirō, despite the fraction of imperfections eminent throughout his repertoire, is a benevolent man of the highest tier. His love for all forms of life have forbidden the man from taking lives without purpose many times in the past. In fact, it is for this very reason that Soutenchirō refers to himself as a Shinobi; he practices not for his own conceited benefit, but rather the security of his loved ones, which he directly cherishes as his “nakama”. The pride of each of these beings is present at all times within Soutenchirō’s conscience, seeping at him like a curse. It is his worries for others that forces the man awake and into the fields every morning, in the hopes of further honing his skills to savor the smile of his nakama. Soutenchirō is renown for his charisma; he is a man who, despite his childish nature at times, is very easy to get along with. A man who has lived long, he considers even the most treacherous of his enemies to be friends, refusing to take their lives unless he has come to a conclusion based off numerous accusations that that particular individual will never experience a change of heart; only then will Soutenchirō bask his blade in the velvetness of blood, and feel almost no remorse after —seeing as though for the man to have come to such a conclusion, it would have already accumulated a heavy dose of thought beforehand— firmly believing to have ensured the protection of the world as a whole by eliminating one of its greatest predators. He is also deeply cherished and otherwise well acquainted by all his peers, a testament to the man’s collective innocence. Equipment Tools Weapons (チャクラ刀, Chakura Tō): In recent years, Soutenchirō has found a replacement for his beloved tantō, which now hangs as a souvenir on his bedroom wall. Revered as the , the blade is customary to select shinobi across the village, and was given to Soutenchirō upon his coming as the gate guardian. It was a gift, not unlike his tantō, that served the primary purpose of symbolizing his growth as a person and as a warrior. The blade is special in the sense it was crafted with a unique metal by the Eight Hokage herself, a testament to Soutenchirō's growing legacy within the hidden leaf. The metal contains the property of absorbing chakra, which it can do upon the slightest bit of contact. Sayuri demonstrated the abilities to Soutenchirō herself, though warned the man about the blade's limitations —if for whatever reason, it absorbed too much chakra in one inning, it would shatter to pieces, as such was the property of her metals, and possibly cause great damage to not only himself, but his comrades as well. For this reason, Soutenchirō only relies on the chakra blade in dire situations, as thus, he keeps it sealed through the use of his generic sealing method. The seal resides on his chest, just above his heart, with the kanji reading "trust". It symbolizes Soutenchirō's devotion to the village, and his emotions for the Hokage. The chakra blade itself is no larger than a kunai; it bears striking resemblance to the kunai knife, with the exception of a sword-like handle and a more elongated blade, though it still remains smaller to his previous tantō in comparison. Abilities Fundamentals Despite the sudden emergence of untamed talents storming the better part of the shinobi world, Soutenchirō is an exception in terms of power. He is an average shinobi who does not possess magical powers and lacks the ability to craft energy beams with enough power to rupture large regions; in modern times, this has since labeled Soutenchirō as an unaccomplished figure, though underestimating him is known to carry a heavy risk. Though he may appear feeble in stature, Soutenchirō is more than capable of holding his own against even god-like deities. This is in part due to his intellect, though majority of his efforts stem from his devotion to the basic principles of the shinobi culture. While most others masturbated to the superficial aspect of uncharacteristically powerful techniques, Soutenchirō spent his time honing what he had already proven himself to be adept in: the utmost fundamentals. Due to this reason, Soutenchirō displays miscellaneous forms to perfection, such as running with an arched back, one may carefully be able to determine that even his nose and fingers are placed at the right angle, let alone his entire body. This of course, came about through hard work and effort, and many hours of standing before a mirror to more thoroughly define his movements. Because he was not heralded as a genius —unlike the suspicious number of prodigies suddenly plaguing the world— Soutenchirō was doomed for life, to the point where many may have contemplated suicide. During his academy days, Soutenchirō was forced to pay attention in class in order to succeed. There was no hidden potential resting within him to rely on. From the beginning of class to the very end, Soutenchirō could have been found in his seat, a sheet of papyrus on his lap, and an inked feather in the other. Even an ounce of distraction proved fatal in dire times, as by missing a few seconds of the proctor's lecture, Soutenchirō would have missed out on the slightest bit of detail, and thus, would be at that much more of a disadvantage when compared to the absurd prodigal population of the shinobi world. The boy lived with promise, having been born to average parents. He wanted for them to be as happy as everyone else, though no matter how hard he may have tried, those gifted vermin still managed to steal his spotlight. They may have left early, due to meeting graduation requirements early, but more geniuses came to quickly take their place, increasing the amount of competition that much more. To become of any relevance, Soutenchirō finally came to the conclusion that he would have to correct his minor mistakes —mistakes that few ever even cared for— to hold an advantage against the likes of those prodigies whenever it was he was forced to either collaborate or confront against them. Soutenchirō is a man with very few techniques under his arsenal —when compared to most others nowadays. As such, he took it upon himself to master the scarce skills he already had knowledge of, mastering them to a level that his enemies could only have dreamed of. It is this very element that gives Soutenchirō the upper hand in battle —at least in his opinion— when facing off against more flashy opponents, as more times than one, they lack the sheer intensity that he displays in the basic shinobi fundamentals. He is proud of his accomplishments, despite however meaningless they truly may be. It is with this very pride that Soutenchirō carries himself with on a daily basis, never once considering himself the inferior when confronted with even the most powerful foes in all of history. His confidence in his skills is often traded for arrogance, though he cares very little for such an irrelevant idea. It is his lack of power that has transformed Soutenchirō into a fearsome opponent; truth be told, Soutenchirō has come to admire his fundamentally based, average lifestyle. * (瞬身の術, Shunshin no Jutsu): The body flicker is a technique utilized essentially by all trained ninja throughout the entirety of the shinobi world. Soutenchirō was taught how to use it while still a student at the Konohagakure academy. Unlike most, however, Soutenchirō's mastery over the technique eclipses him into the very conversation with more renown orchestrators, such as and subsequently, the . Soutenchirō does not have to weave hand signs to use this technique, only knead chakra throughout his body to trigger the fuse. The effects of the body flicker are comprised of what appears to be akin to short distance teleportation. In actuality, chakra is being emitted to the soles of Soutenchirō's feet, giving him a momentary kick start to his movements, allowing him to cover a larger distance in a short amount of time. There are known to be many variations of this technique. One example is electing to leave behind a cloud of smoke, similar to the puff that appears when a shadow clone disperses. In Soutenchirō's case, more often than not, there is no smoke, but rather, a small flash of light that works to blind the opponent. This functions through his chakra nature, in the hopes of rendering his movements that much more untraceable. * (変わり身の術, Kawarimi no Jutsu): Similar to the body flicker in terms of continuity, the body replacement technique is a skill present in the repertoire of a heavy dose of shinobi. Despite it's classification as a low tier technique, the body replacement is surely a jutsu that requires the utmost delicacy, in the sense that the perpetrator must be completely aware of his surroundings in order to garner this ability in the heat of battle. Proper execution of this technique essentially allows for the user to quite literally switch places with an invariable object by surfacing chakra to a certain point in their body. In the midst of the technique, it actually creates an optical illusion, making it appear as though the intended attack for Soutenchirō truly made contact. This illusion is quite complex to say the least, capable of spawning even a blood-like substance that make's Soutenchirō's demise truly appear as if it was a reality and currently taking place. From reaction timing to facial expressions, the only indication that proves otherwise is the dispersion of smoke that appears shortly afterwards, revealing the invariable object Soutenchirō had elected to swap positions with moments earlier. However, the transition itself gives Soutenchirō enough time to hide himself in a nearby location, or even assault his opponent secretively in the same time frame. * (隠れ蓑の術, Kakuremino no Jutsu): Unlike the previously mentioned techniques, the cloak of invisibility is a technique not known to most. It is a combination of several shinobi principles in one technique, thus, rendering it a technique that is only made available to those select few that have taken it upon themselves to honor the unprecedented familiarity of shinobi fundamentals. It is for this very reason that Soutenchirō carries around a blanket with him, large enough to cover his entire being. The blanket is converted to take the appearance of his surroundings through the utilization of the transformation technique after Soutenchirō throws it over himself, working to carefully hide his presence. This technique, while appearing to serve no purpose beyond miscellaneous shenanigans at first glance, has become Soutenchirō's trump card in certain experiences, as it allowed him to escape unharmed and otherwise left him untraceable when used in conjunction with his body flicker technique. A common strategy is to use this technique as the "third wheel", after traveling a fair distance with the body flicker and body replacement to make for a quick escaping maneuver. * (変化の術, Henge no Jutsu): A technique Soutenchirō initially struggled to perform, and with good reason, as it is one of the more advanced fundamentals made available to shinobi; Soutenchirō has since come to display a degree of mastery over the transformation technique that it rivals the usage of the . Unlike others, Soutenchirō is able to maintain the transformation upon being hit by even a woefully powerful attack, allowing him better sell himself off as someone else. Furthermore, so long as he has knowledge over the person he is trying to mimic, his body's scent, chakra signature and voice all alter drastically to his benefit. For those who are not familiar with his work, it is near impossible to determine the truth through average means, as the degree of which Soutenchirō presents himself with while transformed is second to none. Shinobi throughout history have garnered such a tool to gain the psychological advantage over their adversaries; understanding such a concept willingly, it was for this very reason Soutenchirō mastered the transformation technique before all else. * (水面歩行の業, Suimen Hokō no Gyō): In the modern era, the art of walking on inhumane surfaces has become lost. It has since been substituted for another essence; oddly enough, many shinobi have now taken flight, and as a result, do not care much for stationed combat on the lower grounds, let alone dancing on water. However, this is not the case for Soutenchirō, who performs at his highest level in aquatic environments. Soutenchirō is a master at controlling the limited supply of chakra he was born with, able to apply it to several places of his body, even at the same time. Applying chakra to the soles of his feet to walk up trees and across water has become second nature to the man, who has even sleep walked over aquatic surfaces one more than one instance. It is his quite possibly his greatest asset, though it comes with quite a great downside: Soutenchirō is unable to use the . He was not privileged enough to have been gifted with miraculous powers upon birth, nor was he able to acquire the holy eyes of the sage —whatever it is they even looked like. Training to perfect a nature transformation would certainly be more work than Soutenchirō would have time for, though he has come to find an able substitution in time. Humane Shinobi Tactics No matter how great Soutenchirō became, he was always outclassed by the world's greatest "ninja". Before those who could fly and shoot lasers out of their palms, Soutenchirō was hopeless; he was almost like a small child who could hope to accomplish nothing so long as he remained on the ground level. Determined, he made a resolve to none other than himself to correct his many weaknesses, no matter how many there may have been. There existed far greater techniques than what was made available to him, though they never appeared to interest Soutenchirō much, for whatever reason. It may have been because they were simply too complex, or that he was unable to perform such high leveled spells due to his average reserves of chakra. For whatever reason it may have been, Soutenchirō sought to continue his studies in the fundamentals of the ninja, the thought of ascending past the boundaries of the human never once plagued his mind. His parents were both proud shinobi, despite never having been rewarded with a set of rewards; he would see to the same lifestyle. It was for the dream of becoming a fine shinobi. No matter what anyone else thought of his skill set, he was determined to show the world, that he too —without having cheated his way through the preliminary stages of the academy by encompassing "raw talents"— could become a true ninja. * (チャクラ流し, Chakura Nagashi): Upon becoming a -class , it was required of Soutenchirō to become a better role-model for the village's up and coming generation of shinobi; sadly, however, many "prodigies" seemed to lurk beneath the depths of each crowd. Rest assured, concentrating solely on his own growth, as opposed to worrying about those younger than him becoming stronger than him, Soutenchirō sought to differentiate himself from the others who shared his rank by becoming more familiar with the control of . However, he quickly found himself labeled with yet another restriction. Because he was not a noble of the high arching house-hold; his ability to control chakra —let alone carry large quantities of it— was profoundly limited, to the point where the young man considered hanging his sandals and immigrating to to become some sort of "shinobi ". However, his passion for success, toppled with his pride as a warrior quickly altered his perception over such trivial thoughts; he soon began to hone his chakra to a level even the geniuses of the Hyūga main branch would have deemed impressive. While the rest of his peers were busy learning to perfectly balance with their own, uncharacteristically large chakra reserves, Soutenchirō had managed to apply his own chakra, however limited it may have been in power, to his index finger. Through effort alone and willpower alone, Soutenchirō discovered how to apply his affiliated chakra nature to his ninja tools, greatly amplifying them in power. To this day, unfortunately, Soutenchirō is unable to utilize more than one point, rendering him inefficient as far as relying on chakra in battle goes. He must use this sole point -located near his left elbow- for the entirety of his body; as such, it takes quite sometime for him to apply chakra to certain areas of his body at once, as it must first travel up his arm, and finally, to the rest of his physique. * (般的なシーリング技術, Shīringu Gijutsu): Soutenchirō, while able enough to hold his own against the average shinobi in terms of a physical contest, he was not bestowed with the prolonged life force of or the enhanced physique of some of the more premier clans inhabiting the shinobi world. As such, carrying large scrolls on his back has proved to be reckless in the past; from back pains to increasing the odds of exhaustion, Soutenchirō sought to find a replacement for such his number one pet peeve. Hope arrived, and the sun shined brightly down upon the one place the man had found some form of happiness in the past, the academy. Reviewing the delicate notes he had taken in class, and additionally, seeking some of Konohagakure's brightest mentors, Soutenchirō sacrificed his training time to become more well rounded, blossoming into the chambers of one of the shinobi's sacred arts, . More advanced shinobi walked around with cool tattoos across their bodies, capable of summoning ninja tools. Soutenchirō always wanted to be affiliated with the popular crowd in someway shape or form as a child, though learning something his peers had learned several years back wouldn't quite earn him the attention he had been aiming to receive. None the less, Soutenchirō achieved the sacred method many had mastered effortlessly, and thus, no longer had to suffer from minor pains for the majority of his day. For once, the man could sleep well in the night, without the aches he had grown accustomed to. The generic sealing technique allows Soutenchirō to summon virtually an infinite supply of ninja tools —which are definitely not lying beneath his bed back home— so long as he has an able supply wherever it is he has chosen to keep them. There are tattoo-like markings on his arms, which take the appearance of dark black fūinjutsu seals. By concentrating his chakra precisely, Soutenchirō can spawn weapons to confront his enemies. * (影分身の術, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu): A more advanced version of the satisfactory , it was made available to Soutenchirō when it became overused in the modern era. A technique that was initially crafted by the miraculous , it is, by nature, Soutenchirō's most powerful technique, something he values unconditionally, especially when faced with crucial circumstances in the wake of a war. It has also bestowed pride upon the shoulders of both Soutenchirō and his parents; to garner a technique developed by a -level shinobi is certainly nothing to laugh at. With knowledge over the history of the clone technique, Soutenchirō sought to reach the state of perfection, only to yet again, be plagued with a fatal setback. Soutenchirō's chakra reserves were no greater than the average shinobi; since the beginning of his existence, it seemed as though Soutenchirō had been cursed. He resented himself for a period of time, mostly because he was not as fortunate as others to have been born into nobility. However, in time, he came to cherish his own heritage, as it was what made him unique in the very end; what separated him from those he despised most, the "prodigies". The shadow clone technique allows Soutenchirō to replicate himself through the utilization of a single hand gesture. Comprised of joining his fingers in a cross, Soutenchirō is thereafter able to channel his chakra into a separate being, creating an exact replica of himself. Contrary to belief, Soutenchirō does indeed have full control over the actions of his partner, despite a clown having made the public think otherwise in the past. Soutenchirō has has plagued the world with his mastery over the shadow clone technique; currently, Soutenchirō is able to maintain up to three shadows at once, something that has left his loved ones in awe. ** (手裏剣影分身の術, Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu): Soutenchirō's cloning prowess extends beyond replicating himself. He can also create clones of his ninja tools, in fact, Soutenchirō has come to note that this aspect is much easier, as depending on the size and complexity of the object, less chakra is required, and thus, it is much less exhausting on his chakra reserves to utilize as a whole. The technique begins with the instigation of a single shuriken. Upon weaving hand signs, this shuriken is replicated into several hundreds, until it appears in a tremendous storm of weapons. Essentially, it seems as though the entire environment has been polluted with metallic weapons, and all of them work to rip his opponent apart. The shuriken are capable of attacking in succession or all at the once. * (口寄せの術, Kuchiyose no Jutsu): For those who were not fortunate enough to be born with one of the three great dōjutsu, was thought to have been unreachable. However, Soutenchirō's efforts may have forever etched his name into the books of newbies, as through learning of the summoning technique, he know classifies himself as a top tier shinobi worthy of being an opponent for the likes of those gifted talents. The summoning technique requires a sacrifice, in Soutenchirō's case, this comes in the form of his own blood. A prideful warrior, he fears not to cut open a fragile wound to offer his bodily fluids for the sake of eliminating the opposing factors. However, because he does not enjoy the taste of his own blood, he instead leaves on of his finger nails untrimmed, and uses that instead, to inflict a small cut upon his flesh by scraping it against himself. Thereafter, he must press his prepared hand against a solid surface, most frequently the ground, to spawn some sort of tool or creature. The summoning technique is dangerous for Soutenchirō to use multiple times a day, mostly because it requires for the user to sacrifice a heft dose of their chakra. However, this aspect is not to be confused with Soutenchirō's generic sealing technique, in the sense that summoning a mere supply of tools is a considerable contrast to summoning a trained creature to do his bidding; that being said, it is fair to say that he may reach the same degree of exhaustion dependent on how many tools he elected to summon at a given time. ** (鷹, Taka): Throughout the history of the shinobi world, man was known to fight against one another for bragging rights. However, one such brought an end to the aforementioned era by forming an alliance with , thereby concluding the purpose behind senseless battle. This friendship resulted in the creation of the very first shinobi village, and in time, many followed soon after. Eventually, there required a method of achieving some form of communication amongst villages, and the ancient natives turned to the , who thereafter established themselves as the greatest companions of the ninja. Usually, hawks are responsible for carrying notes and messages to and form villages, but they have also been known to encompass a secretive lust for battle. While Soutenchirō utilizes both functions of the hawks, he most primarily relies on their aide in battle, where they have since made it aware that they are extremely versatile creatures. Most obviously, the hawks have the ability to fly, allowing Soutenchirō to ascend into the skies during the mist of a fight. Additionally, the speed with which these birds travel negates the necessity for Soutenchirō to waste his efforts on his own movements, instead, giving him the much appreciated time and energy to utilize his chakra in a separate manner. ** (水遁・波乱万衝, Suiton: Haran Banshō): Despite being classified as a technique that requires the water nature transformation, it is solely the act of calling forth a large body of water. It can more formerly be addressed as a variation of the summoning technique. While in most cases, shinobi are known to summon animal-like creatures to do their bidding, in Soutenchirō's case, he summons a limited supply of water by first, inflicting a fragile cut upon himself by scraping a deranged nail against his hand, then, offering his blood as sacrifice, and finally, planting his concentrated palm against the likes of a solid surface. If initiated appropriately, a large pool of water descends from the heavens, flowing down like a water fall and quickly engulfing anything and everything within a set radius. There is, however, a way to escape the "waterfall", which is how Soutenchirō directly manages to asunder to safety. While summoning the water, a safe-zone is forged to protect Soutenchirō. This safe-haven takes the form of a small cylinder, responsible for housing Soutenchirō whenever it is he calls forth this power. Taijutsu To preform at their highest level possible, shinobi are expected to keep their bodies in tiptop shape. While some are given natural bodily conditions, where as, for whatever reason, they are gifted with naturally refined bodies and uncontaminated levels of agility; the average shinobi is instead, expected to visit the gym on a daily basis —Soutenchirō happens to be one of these lower class ninja. The expectations of the typical shinobi are gruesome, especially when considering how many principles they must indulge themselves within. One may argue that the time in a day is severely limited, as they are never quite able to get nearly as much accomplished as they may have hoped. In Soutenchirō's case, countless hours of sleep had been sacrificed with the intention of bursting ahead, though he yet again quickly found himself in a hole. With lack of sleep came immediate exhaustion, and focusing solely on one certain element took away from other aspects of shinobi culture, such as the arts of illusionary based techniques and the more revered ninjutsu. The decision was unforgiving, and Soutenchirō wondered how it was possible for one ninja to be so good at everything. Such an idea almost came across as a dream; surely such a spoiled being could not exist. In the end, the benefits of a properly coordinated body out weighed the idea of being well rounded. Soutenchirō was forced into reality with the decision, realizing that he would never be able to rival the powerhouses of the world. Oddly enough, he had grown to except it not as a fact, but rather a blessing, for this was the lifestyle of a ninja. His experiences were drastically greater than theirs, no matter how they may have looked at it. While the excelled at practically everything they did, he struggled, greatly. In a sense, this forced him to work at the same thing for longer periods of time, and though he may have still been considered inferior in that certain category, the rush of satisfaction that came with such a lifestyle was irreplaceable; Soutenchirō would never trade that feeling for anything in the world. Those that did not struggle weren't shinobi; they were cheaters who took the easy way out. Everything had finally become clear to Soutenchirō; to live a good life, he had to welcome any challenge with open arms, and fulfill the void with positivity. With years of devotion —and occasional mental break downs and unexcused absences— Soutenchirō achieved a refined shinobi body, what may have considered average. While he wasn't necessarily the strongest, and was a far cry from the fastest, his body had ascended past his original limitations, and the improvements were easily noticeable. An older Soutenchirō is now adept in martial arts and holding his own against the average shinobi in a hand to hand contest. Furthermore, his reflexes have also advanced noticeably, enabling him to quickly analyze any incoming projectiles and in return, move his body and act to evade it accordingly. Repetitive actions allowed for him to develop a certain degree of muscle memory; for example, the act of drawing a kunai from his back pocket has become second nature, while the idea of taking a combative stance now appears somewhat automatic. Soutenchirō has since also developed his own brand of common physical attacks, available to all shinobi so long as they have at the very least received the same level of training he has forced himself into. These "techniques", while extremely basic, were bothered to be given a name to help raise the man's self esteem. *'Elbow' (重流暴, Erubō): The elbow attack is the defining factor of Soutenchirō's arm strength. Years of lifting weights in the gym has established his muscle tone; the strength of a trained soldier is not to ever be underestimated. The elbow is one of the more gruesome parts of the human body to make contact with, almost as though a "pointy" bone is sticking out off the end. By offering support to his forearm, Soutenchirō supplies additional power to his swing, dealing more force, and thus, increasing the output of damage that can be dealt with such a basic technique. Normally, it is against the traditional sense of a ninja to garner an unprotected area in a close combat fight, yet Soutenchirō displays no hesitation in sacrificing it. There are many ways Soutenchirō can go about utilizing his elbow. Basic usage consists of swinging the arm in a downward motion, aimed towards the opponents head or neck in an attempt to send them toppling to the ground. Another method garnered less frequently is the horizontal thrust, whereas by swinging his elbow out to the side, Soutenchirō can instead target his opponent's chest, leaving a more likelier chance of making contact, as it covers a more broad distance. *'Headbutt' (頭八刀, Heddo Batto): A blunt, yet effective maneuver; Soutenchirō dives headfirst at his opponent after gathering a moments worth of momentum. This is more often than not triggered as a surprise attack, normally when both of Soutenchirō's hands are occupied with something. As it is a direct physical attack from a trained shinobi, the headbutt attack is known to deal great damage, enough to possibly shatter an opponent's teeth if contact is made around the jawline. The attack is known to carry a weakness, primarily in the sense that while utilizing such a technique, Soutenchirō is unable to look where he is going, as his head is ducked down, facing the ground. The power can be greatly increased by the presence of Soutenchirō's forehead protector, noted to be produced from iron plating. Kenjutsu For years, it has become a customary design of the chūnin-level shinobi of Konohagakure to utilize some form of weaponry in battle, the most common of which remains the clear-cut favorite, the . Regarded as, quite possibly, the utmost basic blade, its usage spans a variety of services, and can also be seen wielded by , who utilize its refined edge for supplementary purposes, as opposed to direct confrontation. Nonetheless, it provides its wielder with a sense of patriotic pride and is carried on the back. Classified as a short katana, a tantō is carried on Soutenchirō's backside for self defensive measures. Though he may more realistically be defined as a beginner in the arts of swordplay, Soutenchirō has already elected kenjutsu as his preferred style of close range combat, as it allows him to better prepare his true masterpieces in illusionary-based techniques. For Soutenchirō, the tantō was elected not necessarily to fulfill a trend, but rather due its feeble build. In all perspectives, the tantō truly is a lightweight blade, allowing for even the likes of Soutenchirō, who is not nearly broad enough to lift construct weapons such as the cleaver and axe class, to lift and utilize it with relative ease. The speed with which Soutenchirō can slice the air also makes the weapon a bonus when compared to other blades, such as the ordinary katana, which are more elongated in terms of blade size. After acquiring knowledge of the basic principles of swordsmanship, Soutenchirō trained diligently to improve his skills; it was passion alone that transpired such an alteration in persona, though such a decision came not without sacrifices, as by devoting his time and effort in the aforementioned criteria, he began to lack in other areas. Nonetheless, Soutenchirō's skills were polished with time, at least by his estimations. Though they would not earn him any form of recognition, Soutenchirō was confident in his ability to "dance", and immediately began to rely on it in battle. Nowadays, one can determine just how serious he is through such an action; if Soutenchirō unsheathes his tantō, it is evident that he is giving his all, and that he seeks to emerge victorious in battle. Perhaps a miscellaneous factor, Soutenchirō's tantō was purchased by his father as a birthday present several weeks after becoming a chūnin. In recent years, Soutenchirō has found a replacement for his beloved tantō, which now hangs as a souvenir on his bedroom wall. Revered as the , the blade is customary to select shinobi across the village, and was given to Soutenchirō upon his coming as the gate guardian. It was a gift, not unlike his tantō, that served the primary purpose of symbolizing his growth as a person and as a warrior. The blade is special in the sense it was crafted with a unique metal by the Eight Hokage herself, a testament to Soutenchirō's growing legacy within the hidden leaf. The metal contains the property of absorbing chakra, which it can do upon the slightest bit of contact. Sayuri demonstrated the abilities to Soutenchirō herself, though warned the man about the blade's limitations —if for whatever reason, it absorbed too much chakra in one inning, it would shatter to pieces, as such was the property of her metals, and possibly cause great damage to not only himself, but his comrades as well. For this reason, Soutenchirō only relies on the chakra blade in dire situations, as thus, he keeps it sealed through the use of his generic sealing method. The seal resides on his chest, just above his heart, with the kanji reading "trust". It symbolizes Soutenchirō's devotion to the village, and his emotions for the Hokage. The chakra blade itself is no larger than a kunai; it bears striking resemblance to the kunai knife, with the exception of a sword-like handle and a more elongated blade, though it still remains smaller to his previous tantō in comparison. Statistics